Game 155. Yanks lose, A’s lose, but do Yanks lose Didi for the year?

 

Oakland lost to Minnesota, meaning the Yanks’ magic # to secure the wild card game at home is reduced to 5 (Yanks hold the tiebreaker).

Meaning that today COULD have been the Yanks’ last game at Yankee Stadium for 2018 if they lose the wild card advantage to Oakland, travel to Oakland and lose the WC card game out there.

The Yanks, (95-60), blew at game to Baltimore (of all teams), 6-3, to ensure that the magic # was not reduced further.

The Yanks also found out, that in scoring the winning run of yesterday’s game, a run that ensured a playoff berth, that Didi Gregorius, in scoring the run, tore cartillage in his wrist that may end his season.

I have had no problems with Boone’s managing for most of this season. This month of September is different. Reliance on guys like Cole and Kahnle. If you couldn’t rely on them May-August, why the hell rely on them now?

The Yanks got three in the first, and then basically s**t the bed with the offense from there out, doing nothing after the first inning. Three walks (Baltimore starter Alex Cobb, because of injury, was pulled in the middle of facing the first batter), then a SF by Torres. Andujar singled in a run. With two out, Sanchez singled in a run. 3-0 Yanks and they didn’t do a damned thing after that.

J.A. Happ gave up a run in the second on a HR.

But after 5, his pitch count was up so he was replaced.

Excuse me, Boone. You still need to win this game because Oakland is breathing down your throat. You replace Happ with A.J. Cole? Cole isn’t that good. It is only a two run lead. Then you replace him with Kahnle, who also has stunk this year.

Cole gives up a double and back-to-back homers. Lead and game lost. Now Boone brings in Kahnle, who gives up a double, groundout that moved the runner up, and a SF. 4 runs. Ballgame over as Baltimore takes a 5-3 lead (they would get another run off Cessa and win 6-3).

No offense after the first inning. Going to Cole and Kahnle when you need to win and hold off the A’s.

The Yanks got only 4 hits in the game.

I’ve defended Boone and have thought he has done a decent job, but the last three weeks? Ugh.

Thankfully, the Yanks magic # to secure the home field for the wild card game was reduced to 5 because Minnesota beat Oakland today.

On top of all that, the Yanks received really bad news, as mentioned earlier. In scoring the winning run yesterday that secured a playoff berth for the Yankees, Didi Gregorius tore cartillage in his wrist. He had a cortisone shot but could be lost for the year. Oy Vey.

Also, Boone has apparently committed to Sanchez to start the wild card game. We all hope that Sanchez could do what he is capable of doing—-a 2 HR, 5 RBI game. But Sanchez is hitting .182 now. The fear is that in that game, he goes 0 for 4, strikes out twice, hits into a DP, and even worse, commits a PB that ends the Yankees’ season.

Boone’s faith in some guys is going a bit too far. (Cole, Sanchez, Kahnle, Bird, Gardner). You have to realize that at some point, this is a lost year for some guys and cut the cord for the year on them (and in some cases, cut the cord forever).

Andujar 2 hits, RBI.

Happ 5 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 2 W, 7 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.57 (Tor/NYY) Set up for WC start 10/3.
Cole (BS, 1; L, 4-2, 6.32 Wash/NYY) 0 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Kahnle 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  6.86
Cessa 3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 3 K.   4.79.

On Friday, Cole came in and in 1/3 of an inning, gave up 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K. and a HR.

Now today, he couldn’t get anyone out. 0 R, 3 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K.

So this weekend against the Orioles, 1/3 IP, 6 R, 5 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 3 HR.

Really, Boone?

With expanded rosters, I’d rather have seen Loaisiga, Adams or Sheffield there. Even Tarpley.

But not Cole or Kahnle.

 

 

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Game 154. Yanks clinch playoff spot with 3-2 win. Stay 1 1/2 up on A’s.

The Yanks (95-59) clinched a wild card spot in the playoffs with a 3-2, 11-inning, win over the Bad News Bears (oops, 44-110 Baltimore Orioles) yesterday, but whether the Yanks will be playing that one-game, sudden-death wild card game in the Bronx is very much still up in the air.

Oakland scored in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to a Minnesota error and a passed ball (hmm, Twins imitating Sanchez) that let in the winning run, and won 3-2. The A’s remain 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the top wild card spot.

The Yanks’ magic # over the A’s to ensure that the wild card game will be played in the Bronx is 6. Any combination of Yanks’ wins and A’s losses adding up to 6 and the game will be in the Bronx. The Yanks own the tiebreaker.

The Yanks got two runs in the second on homers by Aaron Hicks (26) and Luke Voit (12, 11 as a Yankee). They now have 251 HR on the season, on pace to tie the 1997 Seattle Mariners for the all-time single season record by a team (264).

Gary Sanchez continued his defensive woes, committing a PB and a throwing error in the third inning that allowed the Orioles to score a run. Besides a PB and an error, Sanchez also went 0 for 4, striking out twice, and his batting average dropped to .182. He was dropped to eighth in the lineup, and you really wonder if it’s just best right now to have Romine in there instead.

The Yanks could really have been in trouble except that Steve Wilkerson was twice thrown out at home.

Baltimore tied it in the fifth, and would have had more except for one of those times Wilkerson was thrown out at home (by Judge) and the fact they left the bases loaded.

After the Voit HR, the Yanks didn’t do too much offensively, and it became a battle of the bullpens.

Jonathan Holder got out of a huge jam in the top of the 10th. The Orioles left the bases loaded.

Finally, in the bottom of the 11th, Didi Gregorius singled, and Aaron Hicks double drove in Didi with the winning run.

Hicks 2 hits, HR, 2 RBI
Andujar 2 hits
Voit HR

Lynn 5 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 2 W, 4 K.  4.80 (Min/NYY)
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.  2.60
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  2.59  Encouraging outing since just off DL
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.   2.64
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.  3.26 (Balt/NYY)
Holder 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K.  2.97
Kahnle (W, 2-0, 6.75) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.

MLBTR states that CC wants to return in 2019, even if not to the Yanks. Tough call. Questionable knee, doesn’t go too deep into games. 39 next July. Yanks may want to cut the cord, so to speak.

Also, MLBTR reporting that Yanks have interest in bringing back McCutchen (a free agent) if the price is right, but that probably means buying out Brett Gardner’s option at $2MM instead of bringing him back at $12.5MM. Also, you have Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury (both of whom missed most or all of this year due to injuries) to think about…

Then again, Bryce Harper is a free agent….

Game 153. Yanks hold off O’s, stay 1 1/2 up on A’s for top wild card spot.

The Yanks (94-59) got off to a 6-0 lead, and hung on to beat the Bad News Bears (um, the 44-109 Baltimore Orioles) Friday night, 10-8.

With the win, the Yanks remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Oakland for that top wild card spot and to have the one-game sudden-death wild card game played in the Bronx.

Magic Numbers: 7 over the A’s for the top wild card spot (because the Yanks own the tiebreaker). 2 over Tampa Bay for the bottom wild card spot.

Didi Gregorius hit his 27th HR to put the Yanks up 2-0 in the first inning.

They got four more in the fourth. Neil Walker doubled with one out, and Gleyber Torres singled him in. Torres stole second, went to third on a passed ball, and scored on an Austin Romine groundout. 4-0. Brett Gardner walked and Aaron Hicks homered (25) to make it 6-0. The Yanks now have 249 HR on the season, and are on pace to tie the all-time record of 264, set by the 1997 Seattle Mariners.

Hicks became the fifth Yankee this year to hit the 25 HR mark. Gleyber Torres needs two more to become the sixth.

Then, it seems, manager Aaron Boone got a little too cute in utilizing his bullpen and that could have cost the Yankees the game.

With two out, CC Sabathia gave up two runs in the fifth. 6-2.

In the seventh, Boone brought in Jonathan Loaisiga to replace CC. He immediately gave up a HR, 6-3. Single. Strikeout but a stolen base and an E2 on Romine put the runner on third. Zach Britton came in and gave up a single, 6-4, before getting out of the inning.

The Yanks came back with three in the bottom of the inning. Hicks singled, Judge walked and McCutchen singled in a run. Judge was out on a fielder’s choice, caught in a rundown which put runners on second and third with one out. Luke Voit then singled in two runs. 9-4.

Here is where Boone got a bit too cute and almost blew the game. Instead of leaving Britton in, Boone brought in Stephen Tarpley, who got a strikeout. Fine.

But instead of leaving Tarpley in after he faced one batter and struck him out, Boone now brings in A.J. Cole, who gives up a walk and a HR. 9-6.

Cole gets a pop up for the second out, then a bunt single. In comes David Robertson, who promptly gives up a 2-run HR before getting the last out of the inning. 9-8.

The Yanks got an insurance run in the eighth when with two out, Hicks singled and Aaron Judge doubled him home.

Dellin Betances closed it out in the ninth.

But that eighth inning was too close for comfort. Why remove Britton after just 2/3 and why remove Tarpley after just one batter?

The Yanks have to sweep Baltimore. With the A’s breathing down the Yanks’ throats and the Yanks having seven games at Tampa Bay and Boston to close the season, in order to ensure that the wild card game is played in the Bronx, sweeping the Orioles is almost an imperative.

Hicks 2 hits, scored 4 runs, 2 RBI, walked 2x. HR
Judge 2 hits, RBI
Gregorius 2 RBI, HR
Voit 2 RBI

Sabathia (W, 8-7, 3.77) 6 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 3 W, 5 K.  Career win #245.
Loaisiga 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.  5.82
Britton (H, 9) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.  3.35 (Balt/NYY)
Tarpley 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  5.40
Cole 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR.  5.74 (Wash/NYY)
Robertson (H, 20) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR.   2.93
Betances (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  2.69

Game 152. Boston clinches AL East, beating Yanks 11-6. Yanks lead over A’s 1.5 games.

It wasn’t a good night for the Yanks, who lost 11-6 to Boston as Boston clinched the AL East with the win.

Also, the A’s routed the Angels yesterday, so the Yanks’ (93-59) lead over the A’s for the top wild card spot is down to 1 1/2 games. The Yanks’ magic # over the A’s (since the Yanks hold the tiebreaker) is 8, and the Yanks magic # to make the playoffs is 3 over Tampa Bay, 2 over Seattle.

Masahiro Tanaka started and struggled, giving up a run in the first and two in the second.

Luke Voit cut Boston’s lead to 3-2 with a 2-run HR in the bottom of the second that set a couple of records. Voit became the 12th Yankee to hit 10 or more HR this season (it was his 11th HR, his 10th as a Yankee), and that set a MLB record for most players on a team with 10 or more. It also was the Yanks’ 246th HR of the season, setting a new team single season record.

But Boston came back with a run in the third. 4-2. Mookie Betts killed the Yanks in this game, getting 4 hits and driving in 5 runs.

In the fourth, Giancarlo Stanton hit a grand slam (his 35th HR) to put the Yanks up 6-4.

But Tanaka gave up a run in the fifth and the Yanks’ bullpen couldn’t hold the lead.

Up 6-5 in the seventh, the Yanks gave up 3 runs in the seventh and another 3 in the eighth to lose 11-6.

Ex-MLB pitching star and current broadcaster for the MLB network, Jim Kaat (who once pitched for the Yanks briefly) was critical, and rightly so, of some pitching decisions made by either the Yankees’ pitchers or by catcher Gary Sanchez.

Chad Green, who smoked batters in the sixth, gave up a game-tying HR to Jackie Bradley in the seventh on a changeup. Kaat pointed out that his fastball was electric, and that Green has thrown maybe 15 changeups all year long, and you should not get beat on what is, for Green, his third best pitch, and one that is a work in progress. Two more runs scored after this. 8-6 Boston.

The Yanks had to get Aroldis Chapman some work, since he just came off the DL, in order to get him ready for the playoffs, and some rust showed. He gave up a 3-run HR to Betts, 11-6. Once again, Kaat was critical because the HR came off a slider, and not Chapman’s vaunted fastball.

McCutchen 2 hits, 2 walks
Stanton grand slam
Gregorius 2 hits
Voit 2-run HR.

Tanaka 4+ IP, 5 R, 8 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR.  3.67
Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  2.81
Green (BS, 4; L, 8-3, 2.64) 1+ IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Betances 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K.  2.73
Chapman 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.64 Gave up 1 HR.
Holder 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.  3.02
Cole 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.  5.21 (Wash/NYY)
Tarpley 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.  5.79

 

Game 151. Yanks rout Boston, 10-1.

 

Not yet, Boston.

The Yankees once again delayed Boston’s clinching of the AL East (Boston’s magic number is 2 over the Yanks) with a 10-1 win over the Red Sox Wednesday evening.

Before the game, the Yanks activated Aroldis Chapman off of the DL. During the game, Justus Sheffield made his MLB debut.

Luis Severino pitched like the Severino we saw in the first half of the season, when he got off to a 13-2, 1.98 start. Good news since he has been slumping lately.

Miguel Andujar got the scoring started in the second inning with his 25th HR of the season. The Yanks later loaded the bases and with two out, Aaron Judge’s grounder went through Eduardo Nunez’ legs for an two-base error and two runs. Yankee fans used to call Nunez Noon-E when he was with the Yanks. 3-0 Yankees.

Luke Voit, who had 4 hits and two HR in the game, hit his first HR of the game in the fourth to make it 4-0 Yanks.

Boston got their only run in the game in the fifth on when Nunez doubled and came around to score on a single.

The Yanks got four in the sixth to break  the game open. Gary Sanchez walked and Voit hit his second HR of the game to make it 6-1. This HR was Voit’s 10th of the season, and ninth as a Yankee. If he can hit one more homer as a Yankee before the season ends, he will become the twelfth Yankee with 10 or more HR this season, and that would set a MLB record.

Voit’s HR was the Yanks’ 245th of the season, tying their all-time team record, set in 2012.

Later that inning, Andrew McCutchen and Aaron Judge singled, and Aaron Hicks tripled them both in to make it 8-1.

The Yanks got more insurance runs in the eighth. Voit got his fourth hit of the game, Gleyber Torres singled, and after a groundout that moved both runners up, Greg Bird, pinch-hitting for Judge since the Yanks had a big lead, got an RBI groundout to make it 9-1. Hicks then got an RBI single to make it 10-1, the final score.

The win puts the Yanks at 93-58. There are 11 games left in the season. They remain 2 1/2 games up on Oakland for the top wild card spot. The Yanks’ magic numbers are 8 over Oakland (since the Yanks own the tiebreaker) for the top wild card spot, and 4 (Over Tampa Bay, 2 over Seattle) to clinch any playoff spot.

Hicks 2 hits, 3 RBI
Andujar 2 hits, solo HR
Voit 4 hits (4 for 4), 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 runs scored.

Severino (W, 18-8, 3.38) 7 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 1 W, 6 K.
Holder 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.  3.03
Sheffield 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K.  0.00   MLB DEBUT

 

 

 

Game 150. Walker saves Yanks with bat and glove in 3-2 win. Lead over A’s 2 1/2.

Neil Walker hit a 3-run HR in the seventh and made two fine defensive plays in the ninth inning as the Yankees beat Boston 3-2 Tuesday night.

The game was supposed to be an afternoon game but rain pushed it into the evening.

Aaron Judge returned to the Yankees’ lineup for the first time since suffering a broken wrist. He went 0 for 4 but did hit the ball hard three times.

With the win, the Yanks kept Boston from clinching the AL East for at least one more day. With the A’s loss to the Angels, the Yanks lead over Oakland for the top wild card spot increased to 2 1/2 games. Win #92 (92-58) means that the Yanks have won more games in this year’s regular season than last year and is the most wins they have won in a season since 2012.

Magic numbers: 9 over Oakland for the top wild card seed (Yanks own the tiebreaker). 5 over Tampa Bay for the bottom wild card seed.

Boston scored an unearned run in the third as Gary Sanchez is starting to earn the boos of the Yankee faithful. A single, a balk by Yankees’ starter J.A. Happ and a walk put men on first and second for Boston with no out. Then, as we’ve seen far too often the past two years, a PB by Sanchez which moved the runners up. Thankfully, Boston only got one run out of it on a SF.

Between the passed balls, and the .187 batting average this year, the fans’ patience with Sanchez is running out.

The Yanks, who got only 3 hits all game, got all their runs in the seventh. Hicks walked, stole second, and with one out, Sanchez walked. Walker hit his 10th HR of the season to put the Yanks’ up 3-1. Walker became the eleventh Yankee to hit double digits for the season, and that tied a MLB record. If Luke Voit can get hot and hit 3 more this year, the Yanks could set a record.

Both of Boston’s runs in the game were unearned as the Yanks literally almost threw the game away in the ninth. Zach Britton got a strikeout for the first out, but it was one where Sanchez had to throw out the runner at first. Walker made a nice stretch to keep his foot on the bag.

Then came a walk. On a grounder to third, Hechevarria, in for defensive purposes, made a throw behind Gleyber Torres that Torres couldn’t catch, and Torres was charged with an error. Instead of a game-ending DP, now it was first and third, one out.

The next hitter hit one back to Britton, who also should have started a game-ending DP, but Britton threw the ball away, and Boston cut the lead to 3-2, with runners at 1st and 2nd, still one out.

Finally, the next hitter hit another one back to Britton, who started a 1-4-3 DP, but even on this one, Walker had to make a nice scoop of Torres’ throw to get that final out and save the game.

J.A. Happ, on pace to start the wild card game, pitched great.

Happ 6 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 3 W, 6 K.  3.62 (Tor/NYY)
Green (W, 8-2, 2.42) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Robertson (H, 19) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K   2.85
Britton (S, 6) 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  3.41 (Balt/NYY)

Something I should have mentioned a week or so ago. CC Sabathia is the Yankees’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente award for public service.

Will Judge be in lineup tonight? Yankees observations.

Aaron Judge is not scheduled to be in the lineup today or cleared to hit yet as the Yankees face Boston at the Stadium in what is supposed to be an afternoon game.

It’ll be interesting to see if the game is played today because of rain in the forecast.

The Yanks’ magic numbers to clinch the top wild card and also to get into the playoffs remained the same. Besides the Yanks and Oakland both having off, Tampa Bay won.

With just one win in this three game series, Boston would clinch the AL East.

The Yanks have 13 games left and are just 1 1/2 up on Oakland for that top wild card spot. What’s more, the Yanks have the tougher schedule down the stretch, what with six games vs. Boston and four against Tampa Bay as 10 of the 13 games.

The Yanks hurt themselves by recently (since Aug. 26) going just 5-8 against four teams they should have beaten up on: the White Sox, Tigers, Twins and Blue Jays. All four of them have winning percentages of .460 or lower. If the Yanks had gone 8-5 instead of 5-8 in those games, now we are talking being 4 1/2 up on Oakland with 13 to go, a safer cushion.

Recently Mike Francesa called this team the worst 90 win Yankees team ever. He may have forgotten the 1970 team which won 93 games, despite

only 1 guy (Roy White) driving in 80 runs
only 2 guys (White & Bobby Murcer) hitting 10 HR

a lineup featuring

Horace Clarke at 2B OPS+ 68 (100 is average), .251
Gene Michael at SS  .214 ; OPS+ 56
Jerry Kenney at 3B  .193;  OPS+ 61
a RF Platoon of Curt Blefary .212, OPS+ 86, with Ron Woods .227, OPS+ 99

They did have decent pitching. Fritz Peterson won 20, Mel Stottlemyre, Stan Bahnsen and Steve Kline pitched well, and the bullpen had Lindy McDaniel, Jack Aker and Steve Hamilton.

Just saying… but that 1970 team… hmmm….

Lastly, from Joel Sherman:

No player in Yankees history has hit as often as Gary Sanchez has this year (334 plate appearances to date) with as low a batting average (.188). The worst has been Jerry Kenney’s .193 average in 461 plate appearances in 1970.